Wisconsin unemployment at 6.1 percent in February

Unemployment in Wisconsin dropped to 6.1 percent in February, from January's figure of 6.2 percent, according to data from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. Facebook photo

MADISON — Unemployment in Wisconsin dipped slightly in February to 6.1 percent.

The state Department of Workforce Development released the latest figures Thursday. They show the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in February dropped from 6.2 percent the month before to 6.1 percent.

The national unemployment rate in February was 6.7 percent.

The report shows a net decrease of 1,600 private sector jobs between January and February.

The monthly unemployment figures are based on a survey of just 3.5 percent of Wisconsin employers and subject to revision.

Walker has argued that the most accurate employment numbers come from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, which relies on records from nearly all Wisconsin businesses. But those figures lag behind the less reliable monthly data.